The Charles County Commissioners wish to notify residents that applications are being accepted to participate in the fiscal year 2016 Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program. All applications must be stamped received by the Department of Planning and Growth Management by close of business Friday, Nov. 27, 2015.
In November 2014, the Commissioners approved a Purchase of Development Rights (PDR) Program for Charles County. The development of a county PDR Program was a long standing recommendation of the county’s Comprehensive Plan, and the Land Preservation Parks and Recreation Plan.
The PDR Program allows the county to purchase and retire transferrable development rights from willing sellers, thereby preserving productive agricultural and forest land for future generations. The program will also augment the private market for transferrable development rights by providing an additional funding source and market for their sale.
The PDR Program adds an additional preservation tool to the county’s existing land preservation programs, including the Maryland Agricultural Land Preservation Foundation, Rural Legacy, and Transferrable Development Rights Programs. Collectively these three programs have permanently preserved 16,387 acres of farm and forest land throughout the county’s rural areas.
During fiscal year 2015, the county permanently preserved 1,200 acres of prime farm and forest land, not only contributing significant county funds, but leveraging funding from the state and the Southern Maryland Agricultural Development Commission for a combined budget of $6 million.
For more information on program requirements, and to obtain an application, landowners may visit www.CharlesCountyMD.gov/PGM/Planning/Environmental Programs/Land Preservation or contacting:
Charles Rice, at (301) 645-0651 or RiceC@CharlesCountyMD.gov
Aimee Dailey, at (301) 645-2721 or DaileyA@CharlesCountyMD.gov
